We use cookies to collect and analyse information on site performance and usage, and to enhance and
customise content and advertisements. By clicking "OK" or by clicking into any content on this site, you
agree to allow cookies to be placed. To find out more visit the cookies section of our
privacy policy.

A document leaked from Calgary City Council suggests hosting the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games could cost more than the CAD$5.3 billion (£3.1 billion/$4 billion/€3.5 billion) figure originally quoted, it has been reported.

Earlier this month the Calgary 2026 Bid Committee outlined their proposal for the Games, in which the above figure was put forward as the expected cost of hosting.

However, according to a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a newly revealed council document suggests the real figure could well be higher, due to costs associated with the construction of an Athletes' Village.

Last week's proposal published by the Bid Committee suggested a Village could be built on the site of the current Victoria Park transit centre.

However, for such a location to work bus barns would have to be moved to a new site where a modern facility would be constructed.

Meanwhile, any environmental contamination on the Victoria Park site would have be cleaned up.

According to CBC, potential costs associated with such construction are not included in the CAD$5.3 billion figure.

"The schedule and cost estimates may be impacted by complexities incurred while preparing the site for development," the leaked document reads.

The delivery of the Athletes' Village is identified in the council report as a key risk to the capital cost projections of the Games.

Commenting on the leak, advocacy group the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said whoever revealed the document deserves a reward.

"All costs need to be laid clearly on the table," their Alberta director Franco Terrazzano said in a statement.

"Calgarians have a right to know the total bill that will come with hosting the 2026 Olympics.

"Whoever this mysterious whistleblower is, they deserve a gold medal."

In response, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi has said he will request a full investigation into how the document was leaked, while city manager Jeff Fielding has said he will direct corporate security to carry out their own investigation.

Councillor Peter Demong has been quoted as saying he was "deeply troubled" that the document was leaked.

"In the eight years that I've been here, I can count on my left hand the times we've seen a leaked document of this proportion," he said.

The Council reportedly discussed the issue at a meeting on Monday (September 24) evening.

On November 13 the city will hold a referendum on whether to host the Games, with cost a primary concern of Olympic critics.

Calgary must win the vote for the bid to go ahead.

Other cities looking to host the 2026 Games include Stockholm in Sweden, Erzurum in Turkey and Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy.

About the author

Prior to joining insidethegames.biz in June 2018, James worked as a broadcast journalist at Celador Radio in Bristol, where he read the drivetime news across seven stations in the South West of England. He graduated from the University of Exeter in 2016 with a 2:1 in History, before completing a Masters in Broadcast Journalism at Salford University. James’ passion lies in sport. He has a golf handicap of nine, is a qualified windsurfing instructor, regularly plays hockey and tennis and has previously competed in the long jump at a national level. His first trip with insidethegames.biz was to cover IOC Executive Board meetings in Lausanne, while he has since covered the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang.

inside the photos

Fact of the day

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Iranian judoka Arash Miresmaeili was disqualified for weighing in at nearly four pounds above the limit for his weight class of his under-66 kilograms match against an Israeli opponent Ehud Vaks in the first round. It was claimed Miresmaeili had gone on an eating binge to protest the International Olympic Committee's recognition of the state of Israel. Iran does not recognise the state of Israel, and Miresmaeili's actions won praise from high-ranking Iranian officials. Mohammad Khatami, the country's President at the time, was quoted as saying Miresmaili's actions would be "recorded in the history of Iranian glories". He was later awarded $125,000 by the Government - the same amount given to Olympic gold medallists.

Featured Job

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent organisation committed to building a better world through sport. By joining us, you become part of the Olympic Movement. You will have the opportunity to work in an international and flexible environment with people of more than 50 nationalities.

The Big Read

Weightlifting was on the brink of Olympic elimination but its work to tackle its doping problem has nowwon plaudits from the IOC. With the World Championships in Thailand taking place this month, Brian Oliver reports on a tireless rescue effort.